1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an underwater painting machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Different apparatus have already been proposed for applying paint to a submerged surface.
FR A 1.567.045 (VAN CAUWENBERGHE et al), applied for on the Aug. 18, 1967, describes an apparatus comprising two brushes which are driven with reciprocal translational movements parallel to the surface to be painted, in reverse directions to each other, these brushes being housed in a casing with feed ducts between the periphery of each brush and smoothing scrapers made from a resilient material.
FR A 2.342.875 (INSTITUTE FOR INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH AND STANDARDS), applied for on the Feb. 22, 1977, describes an apparatus comprising rotary brushes supplied with paint in the center thereof.
FR A 2.389.420 (FLANDIN BLETY), applied for on the 4th May 1977, describes an apparatus combining a rotary movement of the paint application brush with a reciprocal translational movement perpendicular to the surface to be painted, this latter occurring at a frequency which is a submultiple of the rotational frequency and causing the tufts of bristles to pass through feed regulating apertures formed in a grid which closes a casing housing the brush, which casing is constantly filled with paint.
With this latter system, because of the reciprocal translational movement of the bristles perpendicular to the object to be painted and because of the feed regulating apertures, a substantially better application of the paint can be obtained than with the prior systems. This application is however not perfect and the applicant has subsequently, in accordance with FR A 79.199.38 applied for on the Aug. 3, 1979, added a rotary smoothing brush surrounding the application brush and rotating in synchronism therewith without undergoing a translational movement. The apparatus described in this latter patent comprises in actual fact at least four brushes whose movements are synchronized and is relatively complex. It has the drawback, redhibitory in practice, that the casing tends to fill up with a water-paint mixture which prevents any correct deposition of the paint on the surface to be painted and that, being driven in rotation, it does not allow the stencils formed by the tufts of bristles and the feed regulation apertures to correctly deposit the paint they contain at each translational movement.
The invention provides then an underwater painting machine which is of simple and reliable construction and does not have the above mentioned disadvantages, comprising a paint application device with multiple tufts of bristles driven with a reciprocal translational movement perpendicular to the surface to be painted and a rotary smoothing brush rotating at a sufficient speed to ensure by itself the adherence of the machine.